1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hair growth, and more particularly, to an apparatus to prevent baldness and stimulate hair growth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Baldness, also known as alopecia and hair loss, involves the state of lacking hair where it often grows, especially on the head. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or “male pattern baldness” that occurs in adult male humans and other species. The severity and nature of baldness can vary greatly; it ranges from male and female pattern alopecia (androgenetic alopecia, also called androgenic alopecia or alopecia androgenetica), alopecia greata, which involves the loss of some of the hair from the head, and alopecia totalis, which involves the loss of all head hair, to the most extreme form, alopecia universalis, which involves the loss of all hair from the head and the body.
Treatments for the various forms of alopecia have limited success. Some hair loss sufferers make use of topically applied solutions in an attempt to prevent further loss and regrow hair. As a general rule, it is easier to maintain remaining hair than it is to regrow it. However, more aggressive treatments, such as cosmetic transplant surgery and hair replacement systems, can help. Unfortunately, these aggressive treatments have high costs and most individuals suffering baldness cannot afford them. Another known treatment is low-level laser therapy, where a low level laser is shone directly on the scalp to stimulate hair growth through “Photo-Biostimulation” of hair follicles. However, there is some debate over the FDA's approval and its effectiveness.
The fact is, that most adults are afraid of baldness and persons who suffer it are constantly looking for a solution. As alopecia is caused due to shrinkage of hair follicle by poor blood circulation, resulting from capillary contraction, stimulation of the scalp is effective for hair growth and preventing alopecia. Brushes and massage machines have also been used for scalp massaging in an effort to prevent alopecia and promote hair growth. However, a person typically only uses these types of machines for a few minutes a day, if that much.
Applicant believes that one of the closest references corresponds to German Patent No. DE4105926, issued on Aug. 27, 1992 to Hamid Emarati for a cushion for head of bald man. It incorporates an angled holder, an air circulation duct, and a covering with a rectangular heating plate. However, it differs from the present invention, because Emarati teaches a cushion having an angle holder and, if necessary, an air-circulation duct, a soft layer and a covering. The temperature remains evenly high in the largest part of the top of the user's head. The cushion contains a rectangular fixed plate, the sides of which cover the head surface on at least two sides. The heated air beneath the user's head is carried upwards onto the head surface through a duct inside the pillow.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to Japanese Patent No. JP2005124731 issued to Ryoju Ihara on May 19, 2005 for a baldness preventing apparatus having stress alleviation and relaxing effect by acupressure effect. However, it differs from the present invention, because Ihara teaches a baldness preventing apparatus formed with projections having rigidity for effectively stimulating the scalp and projections having a structure of effectively stimulating the scalp on its surface. It can adjust the strength of the acupressure operation of the projections using a stimulation-adjusting sheet. The use of a texture material for the stimulation adjusting sheet prevents sticking of the sebum of the scalp to the projections and the stimulation adjusting sheet getting dirty by sticking the sebum thereto as washable to be used cleanly at all times.
Each of the above-mentioned references fail to provide a contact surface that cooperatively contours any variety of different human head shapes to stimulate hair growth.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.